In 1959, the Louisiana Legislature authorized the establishment of LSUA as a two-year commuter college under the governance of the LSU Board of Supervisors. LSUA registered its first students in September of 1960. The first degree program, an Associate in Nursing degree, was initiated in the Division of Nursing in 1964.
The additional academic divisions of Liberal Arts, Business Administration, and Sciences were created in 1967. In 1974, LSUA was accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. This accreditation was reaffirmed in 1984, 1994, and 2004.
Only one associate degree was available at LSUA from 1964 to March 1986, when the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science transfer degrees were approved. Over the next 15 years, several associate degree and certificate programs were added that the university continues to offer including:
From 1976 through Spring 2003, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College offered the upper-level course work for select bachelor's degree programs on the LSUA campus through a program known as LSU Senior College. Initially, the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of General Studies were offered. The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education was added in 1982-83.
Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA) is excited to announce the launch of its new Career Center, designed to become the connection between academic and professional development for students. The Career Center will provide a range of services to help them explore career options, develop the skills they need to succeed in the workforce, and connect with employers.
The LSUA Career Center will offer a variety of services to students, including professional development opportunities such as workshops, career fairs, guidance, and networking. In addition, LSUA has partnered with Forage and Handshake, two leading career platforms that will provide students the possibility to learn, build and connect with employers and companies, both in Louisiana and around the United States. While Forage will be implemented in various course curricula using virtual work experience programs, Handshake will become the all-in-one network to connect with companies and find opportunities.
"Student career development and job placement is a major priority at LSUA and is strongly encouraged and supported by the LSUA Foundation,” said LSUA Chancellor Paul Coreil. “We are very excited to see the progress Dr. Palmer [Assistant Vice Chancellor of Holistic Education and Career Development] is making to build a strong LSUA Career Development Center that will focus not only on student academic success, but on-the-job experience and ultimate job placement in the Central Louisiana workforce with the full support of the business community.”
The Career Center is open to all LSUA students and alumni, and will soon be located in the Art Gallery. For more information, students can contact the Career Center at careerdevelopment@lsua.edu.
The 2023 Career Fair will be held Wednesday, March 1, in the Brumfield-Caffey Ballroom on LSUA’s campus from 9 am to 2 pm. This event is designed to bring together employers and students interested in connecting and exploring job opportunities in Louisiana and beyond. The Career Fair will include a variety of employers from various locations and industries, including technology, healthcare, finance, communications, and more. Businesses interested in participating should register at LSUA Career Fair.
About Louisiana State University of Alexandria
Louisiana State University of Alexandria is a publicly supported institution that provides undergraduate-level college education to the citizens of Central Louisiana. The university is a unit of the LSU System and operates under the auspices of the Louisiana Board of Regents.
Contact:
LSUA Department of Holistic Education and Career Development at careerdevelopment@lsua.edu
On June 5, 2001, following approval by the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors and the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Louisiana Legislature passed legislation (Senate Bill 853) allowing Louisiana State University at Alexandria to offer baccalaureate degrees. In December 2002, SACSCOC approved a substantive change request from LSUA, thereby accrediting the university to award both associate and baccalaureate degrees.
In Fall 2003, LSUA was reorganized into colleges and departments rather than divisions. The College of Arts and Sciences is comprised of the departments of Arts, English and Humanities; Behavioral and Social Sciences; Biological Sciences; and Mathematics and Physical Sciences. The College of Professional Studies is comprised of the departments of Allied Health, Business Administration, Education, and Nursing.
LSUA began offering four baccalaureate degrees in Fall 2003: Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of General Studies, Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and Bachelor of Liberal Studies. Because there were students at LSUA who had completed upper-level course work through LSU Senior College, LSUA produced its first bachelor's degree graduates in December 2003.
A Bachelor of Science in Psychology, approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors in March 2005, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, approved by the LSU Board in June 2006, are now offered. In 2008 the university began offering Bachelor of Arts degrees in English, Communication Studies, and History, along with Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Nursing.
In addition to the Department of Education offering courses that lead to an Associate of Arts in The Care and Development of Young Children and the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, courses are offered for alternative certification in the following areas: Elementary Education, Grades 1-5; Health and Physical Education, Grades K-12; and Secondary Education, Grades 6-12 for the areas of biology, English, history, and mathematics. Students who major in biology, English, history, or mathematics may declare Secondary Education as a minor in these areas of study, earning certification to teach that subject in Grades 6-12. Add-on certifications are available for Early Childhood Education (PK-3) and Special Education in area of existing certification(s).
The Oaks, the university’s first student housing complex, opened in the fall of 2007. The complex, which includes four apartment buildings and a community center.
LSUA hired its first athletic director in January 2007 and began competing in NAIA men’s baseball and women’s fast-pitch softball in Spring 2008. In January 2010, LSUA’s new on-campus baseball-softball complex was unveiled in an opening day dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The complex is located on the north side of campus adjacent to the Fitness Center and features seats transferred from the famed Alex Box Stadium on the Baton Rouge campus.
LSUA added five sports in 2014 including men’s and women’s basketball and soccer teams along with women’s tennis. LSUA joined the Red River Athletic Conference in 2014. The RRAC includes Bacone College (Okla.), Huston-Tilloston University (Texas), Jarvis Christian College (Texas), Langston University (Okla.), LSU-Shreveport, Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas), Paul Quinn College (Texas), Texas College, University of St. Thomas (Texas), University of Texas-Brownsville, University of the Southwest (New Mexico) and Wiley College (Texas) in addition to LSUA.
The university’s newest building, Mulder Hall, was opened in August 2011. The building is a 70,000 square-foot facility that provides 18 classrooms, 4 academic department office suites, 52 faculty offices, 2 conference rooms, a computer lab and a writing lab, a painting and drawing studio, a ceramics studio, a photography suite, and a black box theater that seats 175 people.